1988 Lotus Esprit vs. 1971 Mercury Monterey
To start off, 1988 Lotus Esprit is newer by 17 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Monterey. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Monterey would be higher. At 5,768 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Monterey is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1988 Lotus Esprit (172 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 9 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Monterey. (163 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1988 Lotus Esprit should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Monterey. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Monterey weights approximately 754 kg more than 1988 Lotus Esprit.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1971 Mercury Monterey (383 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 162 more torque (in Nm) than 1988 Lotus Esprit. (221 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Monterey will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1988 Lotus Esprit. 1971 Mercury Monterey has automatic transmission and 1988 Lotus Esprit has manual transmission. 1988 Lotus Esprit will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1971 Mercury Monterey will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1988 Lotus Esprit | 1971 Mercury Monterey | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Esprit | Monterey |
| Year Released | 1988 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 2174 cc | 5768 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 172 HP | 163 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 383 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 1176 kg | 1930 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 5720 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1870 mm | 2030 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1160 mm | 1380 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2440 mm | 3160 mm |
